Facebook Ads 101

Facebook is hands down the most popular social media network, reaching over 156 million unique users in the United States alone.

In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg stated "the average US consumer spends 40 minutes on Facebook per day." That's a lot of time. And, while Joe consumer is liking, sharing and commenting away for those 40 minutes per day, he's giving Facebook all kinds of juicy data that helps the advertiser laser focus on their ideal customer.

The Facebook ad platform has evolved over the years to a much more sophisticated platform, but we wanted to give you a “brief” overview of some of the awesome tools available to you. We'll get more into the nitty-gritty in later posts.

- Video - Gain video views and link to a webpage to provide more information.

- Canvas - Build an interactive ad – available on mobile only.

- Offers - Push your promotion to current fans and/or non fans.

There are many types of ads you can run, but your goals will ultimately narrow down the ad type you choose. Beyond that, there are some pretty cool features that are available, depending on your objective. See below:

- Conversion Tracking - Track weblink ad clicks to see what the consumer does when on your website. This feature allows you to know if you have converted a consumer into a customer or even if there could be a navigation issue, blocking conversions.

-Leads - Collect leads with a form on Facebook so the consumer never has to leave the app.

-Dynamic Ads – Target consumers who view a specific product on your site or app. They can automatically be served an ad for that product on Facebook.

- Location – Target people near your business in real time.

- Messenger - When a user clicks on your ad it loads the Facebook Messenger app with a message from your page. This is perfect if trying to get the audience to request more information from your business or to provide them with a promotional offer.

So with all of these tools available to you, you’re ready to go, right? Wait. You also have placement and targeting to consider. Again, depending on your budget and objectives, you may need to narrow down your geo targeting and audience size.

We understand that advertising on Facebook can seem very overwhelming, whether you’re just boosting a post or planning a complex campaign. How do you know how much to spend, find your target market or what graphics to use? Should you test ads or just trust your gut? Foxtrot Media can help your business succeed with Facebook advertising. Contact us to discuss your marketing goals and how we can assist.